


Fate/Memory World : Summoning

by Kumira



Series: Fate/Memory World [1]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! - All Media Types, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Accidental Voyeurism, Alternate Universe, Bakura is TKB in this., M/M, Minor Character(s), Necromancy, No knowledge of the original Fate/Series is necessary., Not a Crossover, Sexual Tension (kinda), Some ships are hinted but this is mainly about thiefshipping., Swearing, mention of suicidal thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2019-09-01
Packaged: 2020-10-04 10:14:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20469350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kumira/pseuds/Kumira
Summary: After the death of his father during the previous Holy Grail War, Malik Ishtar is selected as a representative of his clan to participate as a Master in the new War. However, a contingency occurs during the summoning of his Servant : Before his dumbfounded eyes is standing the Thief King of Ancient Egypt ...Their agenda might be more similar than he had thought.





	1. Assassin

**Author's Note:**

> Hi ! First of all, thank you for giving a try to this story ! 
> 
> Before you start reading, I'd just like to clear up how the series Fate/Memory World works :  
\- This is not a crossover with the Fate/Series in the sense that only the concept of the Holy Grail War and what it implies is similar. No place or character comes from the Fate/Series, and you do not need to have watched/read it to understand this story. That being said, I encourage watching the animes, as this is a really good series.  
\- There are multiple parts to the story of Fate/Memory World : Each part turns around one major event told in multiple chapters. Two other parts are already written. At least 5 parts are to be expected.  
\- Though other ships will be hinted, this is mainly a thiefshipping fan fiction : Malik and Bakura are the main characters. Nevertheless, some other characters will play a big part in the story.
> 
> Some vocabulary will be explained in the end notes, in case one needs it.

_ **Tossing flowers into the fire,** _

_ **Tossing songs into the fire, ** _

_ **I'll make it higher, more beautiful than any other.** _

_ **The scars of that day, and the love I received** _

_ **I'll throw it all in the fire and head for the light.** _

A shiny, polished gold.   
  
Malik stared at the Millennium Rod with a strange fascination. He slid his finger against the tip of the magical artifact, deep in thoughts.   
  
Soon, what he was waiting for would come.  
Soon, the ship would harbor in Domino City and the Sixth Holy Grail War would finally start.  
Soon, Malik would be set free of the chains tying his clan to the past.  
  
Or he would die trying.  
  
  
The Tomb-Keepers' clan – a clan formed millennia ago to conserve the memories of a nameless pharaoh, a hero who sacrificed himself to protect the world from the evil god of darkness, Zorc Necrophades. This pharaoh would one day come back to life to save the world once again …  
  
Or at least that's what the legend said.   
  
It didn't mean anything but suffering to Malik. Pharaohs don't come back to life. They never did and never will. They were not Gods – Gods did not exist. Even _if_ they existed, they were clearly powerless or just didn't care enough to act.  
  
At that thought, Malik increased his grip on the Rod.  
  
If they existed … He would have been spared from the scars carved on his back. He would have been spared from the pain of the Ishtar's Magic Crest – the source of magical power transmitted from generations to generations – forcefully implanted in him before his father flew to Domino City for the previous Holy Grail War, ten years ago.  
  
The death of his father, chief of the tomb-keepers, Master of the Servant Caster – the High Priest Akhenaden … When the news came to the tomb-keepers ears, alongside a bloody Millennium Eye, Malik's intense magical training started.   
  
All of the pain …  
  
All of the suffering …  
  
Everything was for a wish. The dearest wish of the tomb-keepers : Bringing the Nameless Pharaoh back to life by using the power of the Holy Grail, offered to the winner.  
  
From what Malik knew about the past war, it was said that a certain Mr. Bakura, Master of Saber, had won the right to make a wish. Nobody knew what happened to him afterward. It seemed that he had completely vanished. But it did not matter, what his father or Mr. Bakura wished for. Because Malik had his own wish … He would obtain control over the Three Mystical Beasts, said to be the physical manifestations of Osiris, Obelisk and Ra, a power that could only be used by the Nameless Pharaoh. That way, his clan would be forced to recognize him as his reincarnation and, therefore, would cease its activities.   
  
  
There was a knock on the door, and Malik came back to his senses, blinking.  
  
“... Yes ?”  
  
Rishid opened the door and took a few steps in.  
  
“Master Malik, we will arrive in Domino City in about an hour. The preparations are already complete on Diva's side. The Servant Lancer is secured.”  
  
“Excellent. It seems that there won't be any complication. With both Caster and Lancer on our side, our chances of victory are ridiculously high.” He paused for a second, remembering that he still hadn't summoned Caster. “You may leave now.”  
  
Rishid nodded, an unreadable expression on his face. He was about to turn back, but suddenly stopped, his gaze moving from Malik's torso to his face. He opened his mouth for a moment but decided against speaking any further, choosing instead to walk out the door.  
  
It made Malik raise a brow. Rishid was his adopted older brother and became his personal bodyguard for this mission. The thing is, he almost never got the chance to talk privately to him, between his tomb-keeper initiation and his training to become a powerful magus. When he did, however, he simply didn't know what to talk about. Malik figured that, to Rishid and their sister Ishizu, he wasn't really a little brother anymore. These ten years … Well, they had changed him.   
  
It had only been two years since the young chief of the Tomb-Keepers had been allowed to see the sunlight. The best day of his life, he thought at that time.  
But now, he was so powerful that he would not let anybody lock him up in the dark ever again. Now, he knew what he desired. He knew what his destiny was.  
  
He had to win the Holy Grail War.

* * *

  
The ship harbored in some sort of gigantic warehouse. Malik took a few steps on the firm ground, followed by Rishid and a selected number of tomb-keepers specialized in 'outside matters'.  
  
A young man with long dark blue hair, Diva, was standing there, himself accompanied by two tomb-keepers. They were from a special unit established in Japan to prepare for the Holy Grail War.   
  
“Welcome, Master Malik. I hope nothing troublesome happened during your travel.” Diva said, bowing slightly.  
  
“It was quite alright. I trust our residence has been secured.”  
  
“Indeed, Master Malik. Some cars are waiting for you in front of the warehouse and will lead you straight to your destination.”  
  
Together, they exited the building. Despite it being quite late, the sun was shining and Malik smiled a bit, closing his eyes for a moment to appreciate the nice breeze. However, when he opened them again, the sight in front of him made him frown. Buildings and skyscrapers were everywhere. How were they even supposed to have a war in there without anybody noticing ?! Sure, they could keep the people away for some time but how were they supposed to hide the damages ? The industrialization of Domino City definitely wasn't good for magi, especially within this context.   
  
Their entry in the city was not particularly discrete, especially taking into account how many people lived there. But of course, part of Diva's work had consisted in making sure nobody would pass by, by using various spells. The tomb-keepers knew the right people : It wouldn't be difficult to get rid of video footages from security cameras if needed. Plus, one of Malik's speciality was, after all, mind control. He could easily manipulate any normal human (and probably many confirmed magi too), into doing exactly what he desired. This power was amplified by the Millennium Rod. He didn't plan to only use the artefact for the summoning, but also for his personal use.   
Though, most of the time, he could simply obtain what he wanted by cheer charisma alone.  
  
Malik finally entered one of the cars. As it went through the city, the young Egyptian realized that some parts of Domino City were way … 'greener', than he originally thought. It was as if the farther away they went, the most traditional and old the place looked. Magi weren't exactly good with technology, so that fact didn't bother him. Electricity was a blessing, though.  
  
After about half an hour, the car stopped in front of a rather large and ancient manor, far away from any other construction. The only things that could be seen from there were the forest around them and the lights from the modern side of the city.   
  
The inside of the manor was well kept – or at least, better than the outside. It was obvious it had been cleaned up recently, but some of the furniture looked like they might break really easily. Leaving the entrance of his temporary home, Malik went up the large stairs into a corridor leading to multiple rooms. After exploring each of them, he finally settled for staying in one of the bedrooms adjacents to a bathroom (his _private_ bathroom, he decided). It was quite a large room. The bed looked comfortable enough, and a TV was at his disposal near the couch.  
  
_Well_, he thought, _that will do._

* * *

He knew it would work. But even with this knowledge, Malik couldn't help feeling a bit nervous. The magic circle was already traced and it was almost midnight. Rishid was standing, silent, in a corner of the room. He was the only other person allowed inside, just in case something turned out wrong.  
  
Malik took the Millennium Rod and put it on the ground, on the circle. The Rod was his catalyst to summon Caster. More exactly, to summon the powerful High Priest (and temporary pharaoh) Sett, former owner of the artefact. It would be necessary to hide his true wish from him, however.  
  
As the clock turned midnight, Malik began to chant the ritual he had repeated thousands of times inside his head : 

“Let silver and steel be the essence.  
Let stone and archduke of contracts be the foundation.  
Let my great Master Ishtar be the ancestor.”

  
The Rod started to shine, followed instantly by the magic circle.

  
“Let rise a wall against the wind that shall fall.  
Let the four cardinal gates close.  
Let the three-forked road from the crown reaching unto the Kingdom rotate.”

  
Particles of a blinding gold light began to fuse in the air.

  
“I hereby declare :  
Your body shall serve under me.  
My fate shall be your sword.  
Submit to the beckoning of the Holy Grail.  
Answer, if you will submit to this will and truth !”

  
An unexpected gust of wind shook the room. The ceiling cracked. The light went out.

  
“An oath shall be sworn here :  
I shall attain all virtues of all of Heaven.  
I shall have dominion over all evils of all of Hell !”

  
At his point, Malik was forced to yell to even hear himself.

  
“FROM THE SEVENTH HEAVEN, ATTENDED TO BY THREE GREAT WORDS OF POWER,  
COME FORTH FROM THE RING OF RESTRAINTS,  
PROTECTOR OF THE HOLY BALANCE !”

  
He felt a wave of energy bursting into him from the center of the circle. The top of his right hand burned as if a hot knife was carving into it, just like that day. He swallowed a cry of pain.  
  
The light and wind diminished quickly, just as the pain was fading. Red Command Spells were adorning Malik's hand. The way the lines had formed was familiar to him. A triangle with an eye similar to the Rod … Yes, a symbol of the Millennium Items.  
  
He could now distinguish a shadow in front of him. Any proofs that the summoning happened had disappeared. No circle, no sound, no light. Yes, there was nothing anymore … except for one man. The electricity came back and Malik was finally able to see him. His Servant. A slightly darker skin than himself, shiny white hair, an unusual scar just below his right blue-greyish eye, traditional ancient Egyptian clothes, a red robe covering his arms and back …   
  
Malik was suddenly pulled out of his trance when the realization came down to him.  
  
  
That guy didn't look at all like his representation on the stone tablet Ishizu had shown him.  
  
Actually, he didn't look like a High Priest at all.  
  
Hell, he certainly didn't even look like a Caster !  
  
  
The Servant spoke, a fist on his hip and a cocky expression on his face. He was smaller than Malik had expected.  
  
“Servant Assassin. The legendary Thief King of Ancient Egypt.” He smirked, as if to mock the words that would follow. “Nice to meet you, _Master_.”   
  
Malik felt like fainting.

* * *

The Ishtar rubbed his temples.  
  
It was already the next day and he still wasn't over it.  
  
Assassin.  
  
He had summoned _Assassin_.  
  
He had summoned the corrupted Thief King from that one small paragraph in one of his scriptures. The thief that had brought back Zorc Necrophades to their world, millennia ago. Only Rishid, who was present, knew his Servant's identity and swore not to speak about it to the other tomb-keepers.  
  
Malik lied on his bed, arms crossed behind his head.  
  
Thinking about it rationally, how was that guy even a hero ? A thief who almost caused the end of the world … but also a thief who stood up against the very pharaoh who caused Malik's burden in the first place. Pharaohs were not exactly famous to care a lot about their people. Had the Grail recognized him as a hero for bearing the will of so many other individuals ? It's not like he could trust his scriptures to be perfectly objective either.  
  
Malik's gaze fell on his Servant. For some reason, that fool had found the way to steal the newest home video game console and was playing some game on the tomb-keeper's TV. Aside from the moment Assassin was summoned, he had never bothered to take a good look at the man's face before. He was … nice to look at, to say the least.  
  
Annoying fighting sounds made him blink a few times, putting him out of his daydream. He sat.  
  
“Assassin.” he growled. “Would you keep it down ? I'm trying to prepare strategies for our future battles.” A lie. Kinda.  
  
“If you haven't prepared your so-called 'strategies' by now, we're as good as dead.” The Thief King declared without looking away from the TV, comfortably sitting on the couch as Ragna the Bloodedge landed his Carnage Scissors on Nu. “Actually, we don't really need strategies since we don't know anything about our enemies as of yet.”  
  
Malik frowned.  
  
“Just because we don't know our enemies yet, that does **not** mean we shouldn't prepare _something_.” he continued, sharply. “And I'll have you know I already had my strategies ready when I tried to summon CASTER.”  
  
Assassin snickered. “'Bet you weren't expecting me. _That's too bad_, but if that can console you, I'm pretty sure the guy you tried to summon – if he is whom I'm thinking of – was too much of an asshole to be a hero. Plus ...” He put the controller down as the TV screamed 'RAGNA WINS!' and turned around to cross gazes with Malik. “Did you not know ? An artefact only limits the pool of Servants you can summon. In the end, you only summon the one most similar to you.”  
  
Malik stiffened as his Servant walked slowly toward him, gaze not leaving his, reminding him of a snake. He grabbed his forearm before the Thief King was able to touch him. There was no way he would show any sign of weakness, especially to this man. However, it did not seem to bother Assassin who smirked in return, seemingly pleased.  
  
“It makes me wonder, _Master_, what you truly wish to obtain from the Grail.” he spoke in an hypnotizing low voice, and Malik's breath was caught in his throat.  
  
That's right … If the Thief King had indeed defied the pharaoh, the same pharaoh Malik was opposing today … he could use this information to gain his trust quicker, which would make him easier to control. But at the same time … the tomb-keeper did not like the idea of revealing even a part of his plan to anyone.  
  
Instead, he challenged his Servant with a dark cocky look. “I also wonder what the 'Thief King' would wish for. Could it be for a way to get revenge on _that_ pharaoh ?”  
  
Assassin had understood fully well what was his Master's identity, and Malik knew that. All the signs were there. They were impossible to miss. The chief of the Tomb-Keepers' clan … Honestly, he was surprised by the thief's nonchalance about this.  
  
He pulled his hand back, any trace of a smirk gone from his face.   
  
“My story is not about vengeance. It is about **justice**.”  
  
Malik wanted to feel skeptical about those words, but the other man's serious and determined expression was not one of a liar. Just how much had been censored from his scriptures ? What pieces of history could be missing from them exactly ?  
  
It was a weird, unusual feeling. Malik felt some sort of … companionship linking him to the Thief King. Maybe, just maybe, it wasn't such a bad thing to summon Assassin instead of Caster.  
  
“By the way, _Malik_, do you really intend to go out like this ? No offense, but those clothes make you look really girly. You clearly don't look Japanese, but with _those_ on, it's like you're trying to get our unknown enemies' attention or something.”  
  
Malik's mind went blank for a few seconds. Before arriving in Japan, he had made sure to adapt his wardrobe to look as modern as possible. There was no way his purple sleeveless hoodie and tight pants could be any wrong somehow. Tomb-keepers' clothes sucked but Malik had good tastes, obviously. The only things he had kept were his gold accessories. Though, now that he thought more about it, he remembered how some of his underlings kept staring at him. Until now, he had thought the reason was his stunning beauty but--  
  
…  
  
Actually, Assassin was a little piece of shit and Malik deeply regretted the night he wasn't able to summon Caster.

* * *

The Thief King laughed as his Master left the room, fuming, pretexting he needed to take a shower.

  
It was his first Holy Grail War, in a world completely unknown to him. Thankfully, said Grail had provided him with a lot of information and knowledge from this time period. It amazed him how he suddenly knew how to read and write in multiple languages, how to drive various vehicles, how to use new technologies … how to breath once more. It felt unreal. He technically wasn't here to enjoy himself, but he sure as hell was going to.  
  
He sat down on the couch and thought back to his little conversation with Malik. He still didn't know what that guy's wish was. As soon as their eyes met, when he saw the fire in his eyes and felt the bond of the contract linking them, Assassin understood that they must have had a common objective somehow. He certainly hadn't expected to be summoned by the pharaoh's main lackey … and probably would have killed him right away, as he not sensed this bond.

  
_“_ _I also wonder what the 'Thief King' would wish for._ _Could it be for a way to get revenge on the pharaoh ?_ _”_

  
He hadn't lied. Obviously, he would confront him – and utterly destroy him – if they ever crossed paths again, but that wasn't the Thief King's true wish. Not anymore, at least. The destruction of mankind and the pharaoh had been the wish of the dark god Zorc, with whom his soul had fused before disappearing into the darkness of the Shadow Realm. Thankfully, the Grail only sent copies of heroes souls to fight the War, never the real deal, which would prevent his darker self to be summoned. Basically, the Grail extracted a copy of his untainted soul from the Shadows. Assassin didn't know how all of this worked exactly, but he supposed it was less like a resurrection and more something similar to a dream.  
  
Looking at the clear blue sky through the window, he wondered if his true self still existed somehow. Was he still lost in the dark dimension ? Alone ? Still merged with Zorc ? Maybe had he found a way to escape, as unlikely as it sounded. Maybe had he been allowed to die, at last.  
He couldn't remember anything after his final fight with the pharaoh. Actually, he didn't even remember his own name … though for a different reason.  
  
…  
  
… Why was he considered a hero ? Why would the Grail identify him as a Heroic Spirit ? His story was just pitiful and unsatisfying. In the end, he hadn't been able to save anyone, and even went as far as to offer himself to the darkness. Never in his life did he accomplish any heroic feat. He wasn't a Robin Hood type of thief. He was a pathetic failure in every way, whether in regard of his people or to Zorc.  
  
But … it didn't matter if he wasn't a hero. It didn't matter if the Grail had made a mistake. Despite all odds, the Thief King was breathing, and he never would stop breathing again until his wish became a reality.  
  
  
This time for sure, he would save them.  
  
He had to win the Holy Grail War.

* * *

Since Servants could hide their presence while in their spirit form, Assassin didn't waste time sneaking around and directly started walking through the city instead. He had already done so the night of his summoning, when Malik was asleep, but it definitely felt nice enough for him to do so again. 

  
Servants were way more resistant, stronger, and faster than humans, so he did not feel tired at all, even after traveling through all of Domino City multiple times.   
  
He wasn't worried about being found out by other Servants or Masters either. Even if they technically could feel a magical presence, the Thief King was protected by a specific skill borrowed from the Assassin Class : the [Presence Concealment]. This skill was ridiculously strong in his case (a rank A+ skill) and he was silently grateful to his_ ka_ for that.   
  
  
As he was walking through some street, his attention was caught by some foreign outfits on the other side of a store's glass window. It was not like he _needed_ appropriate Japanese clothes since he could just stay in spirit form in public … but Assassin really _wanted_ to try some of these, just for the hell of it.   
  
He just wanted to _try _them.

  
  
That's all.

* * *

The Thief King decided to set his two bags of clothing on the floor before jumping on the bed, laying down a bit. He had already spent some time in (what he randomly decided was) his room the night of his summoning, but it's not like Servants needed to sleep in the first place – except if they were injured and wanted to gain some energy back faster.  
  
In the end, he _did_ end up stealing some stuff. But whatever.  
  
There was not much to do in his room, except for staring at the ceiling or looking through the window. It was particularly boring. Assassin felt like he could use his free time to investigate the Tomb-Keepers' secrets, or maybe trying to get clearer information on what happened in Egypt since he left, three millennia ago. But really, what he genuinely wanted was to play BlazBlue again. 'Shame that there was no television in his bedroom, but at least he could use Malik's and see how much he could annoy him before the guy became seriously angry. They hadn't known each others for a day but the thief felt like testing and toying with his Master's limits.  
  
It was probably a devious way to use his [Presence Concealment], but the young man wanted to scare his new partner for a bit. It didn't need to be complicated : He merely had to sneak out behind him in spirit form, and suddenly touch his shoulder or something.  
  
Smirking, the Thief King lost his material presence and walked through the door (as it was apparently possible – and funnier). Their doors weren't really far away from each others and, therefore, he quickly entered Malik's room.  
  
He opened his mouth, ready to yell whatever would come to his mind but realized with great disappointment that nobody was inside.  
  
_… __Where the hell could he be ?__There's no way he's still taking a shower, is it ?!_  
  
The thief went straight into an adjacent wall that belonged to the bathroom as well as the bedroom. He was half ready to crack a joke and half ready to check if his Master had drowned somehow, but what he saw instead had his jaw falling to the ground.  
  
No sound could make it out of his throat but, considering the situation, it probably wasn't a bad thing.  
  
Malik Ishtar was standing right in front of him, entirely naked, shiny drops of water dripping from his golden hair and sliding on his perfect, tanned, wet body.  
  
The Thief King figured that it was probably what the god Ra would look like if he ever incarnated. That, or a really big chicken.  
  
It seemed that the bathroom's mirror was situated on the same wall he came out from. Malik took a few steps toward it to get a better look at himself, while the white-haired man almost felt his eyes pop out of his skull as his gaze got lower and lower, from his Master's beautiful face to his firm chest, defined abs and …  
  
_Don't stare at his crotch, don't stare at his crotch, don't–__**Oh Gods, yes. **_  
  
He probably would have started drooling and feeling waaay too hot if he wasn't in his spiritual form. THANK GODS he didn't just barge in, yelling some dumb shit like a moron.  
  
There was no doubt Malik would be furious if he knew that, even more than trying to scare him, his Servant had had the guts to observe him as he stood naked in the bathroom. But he would never know, and Assassin was now curious to see what kind of delicious butt was hiding on the other side.  
  
Malik got away from the mirror to grab a towel and that's how the Thief King saw it. First, The Butt™ , but too quickly, his eyes fell on his Master's back. Multiple dark scars were carved on it, each forming what seemed to be ancient hieroglyphs and … Mystical Beasts. He knew them, the Beasts. He and Diabound had had to fight them at some point. He didn't really remember the details but he was pretty sure he lost to them at some point, and Zorc must have completely merged with his soul around that time.  
  
He wondered what these cursed memories were doing on Malik's back. Of course, he knew tomb-keepers served the dead pharaoh, but … was this some kind of twisted ritual ? He wanted to know but it would have to wait, as he could tell the Tomb-Keepers' chief wouldn't want to talk about it anyway.  
  
He silently retreated back into the other side of the wall and decided that playing BlazBlue was a far more productive activity than to care about the background of some guy he would have to leave in some weeks when the war ended, if they even survived until then.

* * *

  
  
Malik changed his clothes, and it was definitely **not **because of his Servant's annoying remark.  
  
Black shoes, dark grey pants, a dark blue shirt and a black vest. And his gold. Now, nobody would have anything to say about his fashion sense. In any case, he would put his old clothes again in the near future : it's not like he had given up on them !   
  
When he came back to his room, Assassin was still sitting on the couch, playing his game, exactly as he left him some hours ago. He frowned.  
  
“Do you intend to play all day ?”  
  
“I went out earlier.” the Thief King answered, keeping his eyes on the screen as he read the dialogues. “What about you ? Do you intend to play in the water all day like a fucking fish ?”   
  
His words made Malik's blood boil.  
  
“I'll have you know that a large part of my spells resolve around bodies of water. It is therefore very important for me to take the time to … meditate in water.”  
  
Well, that was a complete lie. Malik had spent basically two hours lying sleepily in a hot bath. It was true he had a special affinity with water (more than with the other elements), but it was also the case with light (strangely enough, as he mostly lived underground) and it wasn't like Malik was bad with wind spells and dark arts either.   
  
He just hoped his Servant was too distracted by his game to notice.  
  
Thankfully, Rishid chose this moment to knock on the door. Since Malik hadn't moved far from it, he opened the door himself. Before any of the two brothers could say a thing, a loud 'Hi, Booby Lady !' escaped from the TV as a weird cat-person-thing appeared on screen. The chief of the Tomb-Keepers could swear it took a few more seconds than necessary to Rishid before speaking.  
  
“Diva has just arrived for your meeting. He is currently waiting in the living room.”  
  
“Excellent. Thank you, I'll go greet him now.” He turned to his annoying Servant. “This is an important meeting. Assassin, I want you to attend it as well. In spiritual form.”  
  
Said Assassin responded with a smug grin, his head tilted slightly.  
  
“Bold of you to assume I didn't plan to tag along just to see how unprepared you guys truly are.”  
  
Something snapped again inside Malik but he did his best to hide his emotions, choosing instead to glare at his Servant.  
  
“Should I use a Command Spell to get you to shut up definitely, Assassin ?”  
  
“I don't know. Do you wish for your head and body to be definitely separated, _Malik_ ?” The Thief King glared back at him.  
  
Rishid could see sparks flying in the air as the two stared at each other silently. He coughed, bringing their attention back to the present matter.  
  
“... Right. Let's go.” Malik finally said, mentally cursing the thief. _Someone with such a nice face shouldn't be such an asshole_, he thought.  
  
Assassin watched them go, not moving a finger before they were out of sight. _Someone with such a great ass shouldn't be one_, he thought.

* * *

Malik and Assassin (in spirit form) were sitting in the living room on a comfortable red velvet couch. They were facing Diva, only separated by some sort of coffee table made of glass and wood.

  
“... Therefore, the participation of the Mage Association, as well as the Kaiba and Crawford clans, was confirmed. Seto Kaiba and Pegasus J. Crawford will join the war, but we have yet to find the identity of the magus sent by the Association. However, we do know from one of our agents that they already summoned Saber.” continued Diva.  
  
“They must be a mercenary ...” Malik replied. This was bad news for the Tomb-Keepers, as they had no way to anticipate the techniques and spells favored by this unknown magus. “And what about your infiltration of Domino High School ? Did you notice anything ?”

“Indeed. Seto Kaiba does not show up on a regular basis, but that is no surprise since he hardly seems to be interested in this educational system.”  
  
“Actually, I was referring to the son of the previous winner, Ryou Bakura.”  
  
Diva grimaced almost imperceptibly.  
  
“Ryou Bakura … Well, there is nothing in particular to be reported. He acts like an ordinary student.”  
  
“Do you even hear yourself ?” Malik glared at him. “I don't care how he 'acts', I need concrete facts on his whereabouts, his potential as a magus and a Master, and if he plans to join the Holy Grail War !” The blond clenched his fist. “You weren't sent to spy in Domino as a vacation, Diva. You were supposed to learn more about his objectives and get rid of him if necessary !” His voice was loud enough to be intimidating but not enough to be considered yelling.  
  
“I … I am sincerely sorry, Master Malik. I have no excuses. I swear I will obtain the information you require in the shortest delay.”  
  
However, Diva couldn't tell him that learning more about Ryou had been the true problem in this whole situation. To learn more about him, he had had to get close to him and his circle of friends. At first, he had secretly intended to find any sufficient clue that would convince the higher-ups to put an end to the boy's life, no matter his intentions regarding the War. After all, his father was responsible for the death of his original master, Shadi Shin. But … as the time passed … he realized Ryou Bakura did not deserve to die. The atmosphere around him was different from the rest of his friends. He hated to admit it, but at some point, he stopped faking his friendship with the white-haired boy and felt genuine affection toward him.   
  
That's why Malik couldn't know what Diva had truly found out. One evening, as the gang visited Ryou's apartment to play his favorite TRPG, Diva investigated the place. He wished he had merely found some disturbing posters of the horror movies the boy was so fond of, but reality had not been so kind. Instead, the tomb-keeper had found out that Ryou had kept many documents from his late father, some of them directly related to the past Holy Grail War. From what he had gathered, Ryou had learned way more than some basic spells. He had specialised in the dark arts, probably carried by his love for the occult. Nobody should ever know about all of this.  
  
Hopefully, he had one last piece of information that may calm the wrath of his current master and allow him to not appear as suspicious as he probably already did.  
  
“However, a boy by the name of Yuugi Mutou, in the same class as Seto Kaiba and Ryou Bakura, possesses something that caught my interest.”  
  
“And what could it be ?” Malik asked, resting his back on the couch, his legs crossed.  
  
“I would need confirmation from one of the Elders, but I believe he resolved the Millennium Puzzle just recently. He started wearing it around his neck some days ago. Nevertheless, he is not a magus and his family has no antecedent with the War. He does not know what his pendant truly is, either.”  
  
Malik's eyes shot wide open and Assassin frowned, now fully listening.  
  
“The Millennium Puzzle ? Do you mean the Millennium item that belonged to the Pharaoh but was never found ?”  
  
Diva nodded.  
  
_“It did __**not **__belong to any pharaoh.”_ The Thief King growled at Malik through their mental link, furious.  
  
But the Ishtar had other things to think about. The legend said the Nameless Pharaoh was supposed to get back to life at some point, and the timing was just terrible. Malik was so close to his goal – he couldn't take the risk of being brought back to the shadows that directed his life like a puppet until now !  
  
“Bring me the Puzzle, Diva, and I will forgive your mistake concerning Ryou Bakura.” Malik said, a mask of calmness hiding his sudden anxiety.  
  
“Understood. I will send Lancer to retrieve it tonight.”  
  
The meeting didn't last much longer. None of them were in a good mood after that.

* * *

It was much later during the night that the Thief King felt a sudden jolt through his material body. A message from the Grail, he immediately thought. A knowledge implanted inside his brain without any sort of agreement.  
  
He looked through the window, eyes wide.  
  
His pulse accelerated, as if something, some sort of hidden rage, had been sleeping within him.  
  
For the first, short, time since he was summoned, Assassin felt a mix of anger toward an unknown target - somewhere, outside ... -, and a silent fear of himself. He was free from Zorc's influence … so why was he feeling that way all of a sudden ?  
  
Without thinking, he rushed to Malik's bedroom. He didn't waste any time knocking, choosing instead to burst the door open. The lights were still on, and his Master was already sitting on his bed, looking at him with surprise, clearly not expecting the sudden entrance.  
  
“Assassin ?! What in the-”  
  
“The Holy Grail War has begun.” he declared, without even meaning to. “All of the seven Servants were summoned.” He didn't let Malik any time to answer before pursuing. “I felt a powerful magical energy and intend to chase it immediately. **Prepare yourself, **_**Master**_**.**”


	2. Berserker

It was an ordinary friday at Domino High School. However, not for Ryou Bakura, who felt even more tired than usual. He laid down his arms on his desk as the last class finally ended. A concerned voice reached his ears, making him jump a bit.  
  
“Bakura … Are you okay ? It looks like you've been feeling under the weather all day …” Yuugi muttered carefully, worried.  
  
“Yeah, what's up with that ?” Jonouchi continued. “You've been really jumpy too.”

Ryou managed to force a reassuring smile on his face.  
  
“It's nothing. I just didn't sleep much last night.” Well, at least that part was partially true, as he had not slept at all. “That's a bit embarrassing to admit, but I was too caught up by my new Monster World campaign to sleep …”  
  
Yuugi seemed to feel better after hearing that, as he stopped nervously touching his pyramidal puzzle. This puzzle … Yuugi's pendant … There was something wrong with it. Ryou could feel a powerful magical force emanating from there, but it was not as if he could tell that to his friend, who spent so many years just to assemble it. He would have to do something about it if it became dangerous, though.  
  
“Geez !” Anzu sighed. “Please, be more careful with your health, Bakura. Aigami is already ill, we wouldn't want you to get sick as well !” She sounded a bit preachy, but Ryou knew she was sincerely concerned about him, which made him feel both happy and ashamed.  
  
“Sorry, I'll be careful to take the time to sleep from now on.” Another lie.  
  
There was a good reason why Ryou had not slept that night. Truth is, he had risked his life all month, but the previous night more than ever before.   
  
He had finally done it. He had stolen the catalyst destined to Pegasus J. Crawford's Servant summoning. It had taken a lot of preparations to get this far.   
  
Ryou had specialized in dark arts, and more exactly, in necromancy. It had been a bit … disturbing at first, but it wasn't a choice made randomly. Everything started with an innocent wish, a naive attempt at bringing the dead back to life. His mother and sister had died in a car accident a year before the past Holy Grail War, and everything had suddenly changed. The world became colder, leaving frost bites inside his heart. His father, an archeologist, started to travel more and more without him, leaving him in their homeland of Japan instead.   
Ryou fondly remembered a time, long ago, where they were all together, travelling in Egypt. Everything had seemed easier – happier – at that time. A time where his father smiled, a time where his mother offered him a warm embrace, a time where he played imaginary adventures with his little sister. But … those memories were gradually fading away, like an old dream.   
  
Ten years ago, when he learned of his father's mysterious disappearance, he wanted to end it all. What was the point of living if he was left alone forever ? However … Soon after that, he inherited a small apartment in Domino City : His father's last place of residence. Ryou discovered secrets he couldn't have begun to imagine. His father possessed countless documents and artefacts related to magic, as well as a diary relating some of his days in the Holy Grail War. That was how the boy learned about the existence of the magic circuits in his body, and worked hard to become a magus himself.  
  
He really … He really just wanted them back.  
  
No matter how hard he had tried, the two bodies he had retrieved from their graves never got their souls back. The only thing the boy had been able to do was animate his family's corpses like puppets, controllable zombies lacking a complete flesh eaten by time. This sick show, he still sometimes saw it in his nightmares.  
  
Only the most powerful magical source he knew of, the Grail, could make his wish come true.  
  
He had to win the Holy Grail War.  
  
  
“Earth to Bakuraaaa ~!” Jonouchi sang, making Ryou jump again.  
  
Honda shook his head slowly.  
  
“Anyway, let's get out of here. It's already dark outside.” he said, visibly bored.  
  
Ryou gathered his stuff and the group left.   
On the way back home, they separated as usual. Yuugi and Anzu left in one direction while Jonouchi and Honda left in another. Since Ryou lived the farthest away from school, close to a cemetery, he had to walk longer than the others. He should have probably taken the bus, but the air wasn't quite cold and he enjoyed the night.   
  
Ryou slipped his hand in his bag, feeling the sphere in his hand, reassured that it hadn't disappeared.   
  
Stealing the catalyst (a strange black orb, small enough to be held in one hand) had not been an easy task. The past ten years weren't only spent in magical training; Ryou had also become an expert hacker. Thanks to that, he had successfully gotten access to the data bank of the only two clans of magi that seemed to care about both technology and the War : The Kaiba and Crawford clans. Since they lived in different continents, it had been easier for Ryou to hack the Crawford's without repercussion, as well as learning the date of their arrival in Japan.   
Last night, he had used his capacities as a necromancer (using plenty of body parts from one of Domino's cemeteries) – eyes magically linked to his retina to watch over places he could not get to, numerous hands going past security guards and cameras undetected, … – to steal what he needed. Actually, it had not taken as long as expected but he had been way too scared of seeing Pegasus on his doorstep despite his precautions to let himself drifting into sleep.  
  
As he didn't want to leave it at home, Ryou had hidden the orb in his schoolbag. Honestly, the white-haired teenager had no idea who this catalyst was supposed to summon but he figured that Pegasus J. Crawford would not have been through the trouble of getting this one if the Servant was bad or ill-suited to their context.  
  
_I'm really going to do it …_ he thought, taking a deep breath to calm down. _I'm going to summon a Berserker tonight … _  
  
Even if he was a magus, he had not received any kind of training from a professional (at least, that's how Ryou imagined it happened). Compared to the other participants, he was probably very weak, if not the weakest. Therefore, he needed something to balance his flaws, an ace of some sort. And that was it : He had found an additional spell in his father's documents, some lines necessary to summon a Berserker during the summoning ritual. He wasn't sure he could control a proud Servant with their full sanity, so a Berserker was the right choice … Probably.  
  
The white-haired boy let the orb roll inside his bag and continued walking. As he engaged in another street, he let out a small squeak of surprise when his eyes fell on a shadow just below a street lamp.  
  
_P-Pegasus ? One of his men ?! No … I recognize this person. It's-_  
  
“... Aigami.” he exhaled, already feeling a bit better. “What are you doing around here ? Weren't you sick today ?” he tried to offer a small smile.  
  
But unlike most times, Aigami didn't smile back at him. His dark blue hair seemed to have turned black as he walked toward Ryou.  
  
“Bakura.” he started, looking more serious than Ryou had ever seen him, even before they became friends. “There is something I needed to tell you.”  
  
Ryou tensed. It's not like he didn't have a phone, which meant that whatever was the reason why Aigami had waited for him so close to his apartment, it wasn't good.  
  
“Please, don't do anything you will regret.” Aigami seemed to sense the other's nervousness, and his expression changed to an almost pleading look. “You have friends that care deeply about you. Don't get involved in a conflict that you don't understand. You have the power to make your dreams a reality without putting yourself in danger.” he continued.  
  
Did … Did Aigami know ?   
  
“What are you talking ab-”  
  
“Please, Bakura, stay safe. This is all I ask of you.” he turned his back at him and left. Ryou didn't have it in him to pursue his classmate and demand answers. He already knew.  
  
The street lamp flickered, but Ryou had already made up his mind.

* * *

At home, Ryou changed out of his uniform and stayed in front of the TV for a while, nervous. He couldn't summon Berserker in his apartment, as he was pretty sure he would not be able to contain the power of the summoning all by himself, which would alert his neighbors.  
  
The young magus repeated the spell again and again in his head, scared he would suddenly forget it.  
  
When the time got close to midnight, he finally went out again. He walked to the nearest cemetery and started drawing runes all around it, on the fences. These runes would keep normal humans from wandering around this place while Ryou summoned his Servant. They would approximately last an hour, which was enough.  
  
Ryou drew the magic circle on the ground, in front of multiple graves. Once it was finished, he placed the orb down at the edge of the circle.  
  
As he was about to start chanting, he suddenly stopped, remembering his friend's words. Aigami was right. Taking everything into account, Ryou would probably die – or at least, get hurt at some point. But he needed to do it. He couldn't continue living like this any longer. Sure, he had friends, but did they actually need him ? No, not really. If they knew what their friend was doing to corpses, they would call him a monster and view him as no better than trash. Moreover, Ryou was a transfer student : Yuugi, Anzu, Jonouchi and Honda already knew each others when he met them. He was more of an intruder than anything. The boy knew he was being unfair to them, but it was the truth he sadly believed in.  
In that regard, Aigami was a bit like him. A mysterious transfer student from Egypt, who joined their group over mutual interests, but who was actually more like a passive member. The only thing Ryou truly knew about Aigami was that he had a little sister. He looked genuinely happy, on the few occasions he talked about her. At first, Ryou thought Aigami hated him. Even though he always acted politely, his eyes remained cold. Somehow, he couldn't remember when they became warm instead, but it made him happy.   
  
In the end, he would have to fight his friend, wouldn't he ? Theoretically, only Servants had to fight. But, after all, if the Master came to die, the Servant disappeared on his own … He was pretty sure most participants would rather target the Masters than the Servants.  
  
The white-haired teen shook his head. There was no time to think about that. His wish was the only thing that mattered, now.  
  
He opened his mouth and began reciting the spell, his eyes closed.

“Let silver and steel be the essence.  
Let stone and archduke of contracts be the foundation.  
Let black be the colour I pay tribute to.”  
Let rise a wall against the wind that shall fall.  
Let the four cardinal gates close.  
Let the three-forked road from the crown reaching unto the Kingdom rotate.”

  
Seeing a bright purple-ish light behind his eyelids, he opened them, both glad the spell was working and a bit afraid of the magical energy irradiating in front of him.

“I hereby declare :  
Your body shall serve under me.  
My fate shall be your sword.  
Submit to the beckoning of the Holy Grail.  
Answer, if you will submit to this will and truth !”

  
The air seemed to agitate around him, as if it was trying to pull him away from the circle.

“An oath shall be sworn here :  
I shall never depart from the good.  
Never in my life, will I commit to evil !”

  
He was close to the end. Before that, he had to add the [Madness Enhancement] spell that allowed the Servant to become a Berserker. Multiplying the strength by decreasing the sanity.

“Yet, you shall serve with your eyes clouded by chaos.  
For you would be one caged in madness,  
I shall wield your chains !”

  
Ryou felt pulled back even more and had to do his best to keep standing.

“From the Seventh Heaven, attended to by three great words of power,  
Come forth, from the ring of restraints :  
PROTECTOR OF THE HOLY BALANCE !”

  
  
As Ryou finished screaming the incantation, he was violently pulled back once more and fell on the ground, now covered in dirt.   
  
He opened his eyes again, feeling dizzy from the shock. Confused, he gazed at the lightless magic circle – now strangely foggy –, scanning the cemetery all around him.  
  
  
Nobody.  
  
  
Nobody had answered his summon.  
  
  
He quickly got his memo out of his pocket and started to read it inside his head. There was no mistake on it. He hadn't made any mistake. Why hadn't it worked ?!   
  
The young magus felt tears of frustration building into his eyes. Was it over for good ? Would he never be able to see his family ever again ?!  
  
“... DAMN IT !” he yelled, crumpling the piece of paper before throwing it away and letting his face fall into his hands.  
  
“Damn it ...” he repeated. “Damn it, damn it … !”  
  
He held back a sob, bitting his bottom lip.  
  
  
_“__...__You ...__”_  
  
  
Ryou suddenly felt something brush against his shoulder.  
  
With a yelp, he stood up, taken aback by the sensation of being touched at this moment, wondering if someone had gotten in the cemetery despite the power of the runes.  
  
What he was seeing in front of him made his mouth drop a bit. It seemed that the dark purple fog from the circle had moved toward him and assembled to form … a foggy (smoky ?) version of himself ? Despite the way it was created, this 'other Ryou' looked incredibly realistic (well, as much as a purple Ryou could be realistic), only lacking a face.  
  
  
_“__...__Mas …__ter …?__”_ the thing murmured from inside his mind, sounding different than the first time.  
  
  
“A-are you ...” he started, stuttering. “Are you … Berserker ?”  
  
  
It seemed like a thousand of voices suddenly ringed in his head, various shouts of cheering resonating through him.  
  
Ryou couldn't hear his own thoughts anymore and brought his hands up in a futile attempt to cover his ears.  
  
“S-Stop that !”  
  
_“__S-Stop that !”_ Ryou heard himself repeat, a thought that was once again foreign, forced into his mind. The voices stopped.  
  
The high school boy took a few steps back from his Servant (?), thinking that maybe Aigami had been right from the start, that he shouldn't meddle with what he didn't understand. He quickly pushed this intrusive thought aside and rubbed his eyes.  
  
“Hm … Is it possible that you can not speak with your own words ?”  
  
Berserker nodded.  
  
“Oh … Well, that won't make things easy but … Do you mind telling me your True Name ? Apparently, a Master is supposed to automatically learn all of his Servants characteristics when they are summoned, thanks to the Grail, but … I still haven't 'received' anything so …”  
  
His reflect didn't react. It just stood there, immobile.  
  
“... Um, do you understand … ? Your name-”  
  
_“__It's called a doppelganger !”_ Berserker abruptly let out, sounding like Ryou. _“__Haha, maybe there is one following you right now ~!”_  
  
These words … There was no doubt : It was a conversation Ryou had had with Jonouchi some months ago ! Honda and himself kept on teasing him for freaking out during one of their horror movies nights. However, there was no chance his Servant really was a doppelganger … After all, doppelgangers were not heroes at all. And anyway, they were not supposed to look like that. Like … some purple fog taking human form.  
  
“I … I don't understand. Are you really a-”  
  
Ryou was interrupted once more, but this time by a weird sensation, a strong jolt that shook his entire body.  
  
_The Holy Grail War …__Did it just start …__?_  
  
Berserker yelled once more inside Ryou's head, loosing his human appearance to come back to a state of foggy cloud. It seemed agitated.  
  
It was only a detail to the teenage boy, though, as his vision started to become darker and darker.  
  
_What …__What's happening to me ?__I feel …__weak, all of a sudden.__Did I use too much mana for the summoning …__?__I …_  
  
“Berserker ...” he whispered, feeling something wrap around him before he fainted, exhausted.  
  
A sharp pain at the top of his right hand was the last thing he could remember.


	3. Caster

A soft, warm light.  
  
A door that opened to chase the darkness away.  
  
For the first time in forever, he awakened.  
  
_Who …__am I ?_  
  
Slowly, he regained control over his articulations.  
  
_Where am I ?_  
  
A voice could be heard from the gate of light.  


  
“- finished !”  


  
_Who …__?_  
  
His body had been floating all this time, but at last, he started walking toward it. The scenery all around him looked like a strange, senseless, dark labyrinth.  
  
As he advanced, far away from the darkness, he passed by a small room covered in toys.  


  
“I finally finished it !”

  
  
He took a final step into the light, and it seemed that everything was even more blinding.  
  
His eyes opened a second time. He hadn't realized they had closed.  
  
It seemed that his body was detaching itself from something. When he stared at his hands, they were semi-transparent.  
  
He was in a small room. Even without remembering anything, he knew he had never seen such a place before.  
  
A boy was standing right next to him, holding a strangely familiar pyramidal pendant in his hands. He wore a happy expression on his face as he rushed to open the sole door of the room.  
  
“Grandpa, I did it ! I finished the puzzle !”

_…_

* * *

  
  
He never really stopped following that boy, after that. Whether it was as a ghost or through the youth's eyes (with whom he seemed to merge sometimes), he was there, remaining unnoticed.  
  
The boy's name was Yuugi Mutou. Whenever Yuugi was happy, he was happy too. When he was sad, he was angry.  


_Can you hear me ?_

  
They had a link. He was sure of it. But the boy never heard his voice, no matter how many times he called.

  
_Hey …__Can you hear me ?_

* * *

One evening, as Yuugi was walking back from school with Anzu, he felt a strange … _thing_ in the air. It wasn't the first time it happened, but never had it been that strong. Nobody else seemed to notice it.   
  
He nervously grabbed his pendant.  
  
“You seem distracted, Yuugi. Is something wrong ?” Anzu asked.  
  
“Ah-! N-no, I'm fine ! Sorry, what were you saying ?”  
  
She looked a bit worried and marked a pause before answering.  
  
“Well, it doesn't matter. Seems like we arrived at the Game Shop ! Have a nice weekend, Yuugi !” she started to walk away but turned back to him, waving her hand : “And if something is troubling you, please call me, okay ?”  
  
Her words made Yuugi blush a bit.  
  
“S-sure, see you next monday !”  
  
As he entered the shop, he somehow felt even weirder, as if something was saturating the air. Maybe was he simply sick ? No … It was late and he probably just felt tired. Classes ended really late on fridays, after all.  
  
He immediately had dinner with his grandfather before heading to bed.   
  
As the night went on and sleep refused to come to him, the feeling of saturation didn't leave. Yuugi held the puzzle as hard as he could, finding its presence reassuring. His breathing calmed down.   
  
The highschooler was about to fall asleep, at last, when he slowly felt the cord of his pendant moving a bit. In his state of drowsiness, it took him a few seconds to realize someone was trying to slide the cord over his head. Yuugi opened his eyes, startled.  
  
“Who … ?!”  
  
Rays of moonlight – from the window he was sure had been closed earlier – were illuminating the room. Above him, a beautiful woman with deep blue eyes was staring at him. Her wavy blond hair was tied up with a hairclip, except for a single lock on the left side of her face.  
  
“Ah ...” she let out, softly. “I feared something like that might happen … This is all a dream so just close your eyes, alright ?”.  
  
Her tentative smile almost made him obey, but Yuugi tightened his grip on the puzzle instead and sat down as fast as he could.  
  
“I can't … I won't let you …!”  
  
“I'm sorry, kid, but I can't let you have it.” She furrowed her brows a little.  
  
Before he knew it, a sophisticated medieval spear had found its way against his neck, maintaining him down on the bed.  
  
“N-**NO** !”  
  
As if to match the intensity of Yuugi's scream, the puzzle started to shine brightly. His assailant took a step back, surprised.  
  
“What ?!”   
  
Before any of them could react, the puzzle had disappeared from Yuugi's neck. A pentacle had drawn itself on the floor, and a body of light was starting to take human form.  
  
A slightly taller boy than Yuugi, possessing the exact same improbable hairstyle, a dark skin, and foreign clothes, stood proudly between him and his aggressor. The pyramidal pendant had stopped shining after having mysteriously found its way around the stranger's neck.  
  
He pointed a short sword at his assailant and began chanting words in a language Yuugi didn't understand.   
  
“Y-You … You are a Servant !” she exclaimed, gripping her spear, jumping out of the way and escaping by a few centimeters only the wave of dark energy that the new Servant had thrown at her.  
  
Yuugi saw the strange energy piercing the wall of his room and let out a scream of surprise and terror.   
  
The woman climbed out the window and disappeared through the night, leaving them with only some hasty words : “My Master does not wish for a direct confrontation. I shall take my leave this time.”.  
  
Yuugi was stunned. He could only sit on his bed, his eyes wide as he stared at the window and the mysterious dangerous mage. Said mage finally turned around to look at him. Contrary to his general appearance, his face was pretty different from Yuugi's. His firm and severe expression suddenly warmed up as a gentle smile made its way to his lips. He opened his mouth and spoke his first words. The glowing moonlight was shining all around him.  


  
“Hey … Can you hear me ?”  


Yuugi could only nod slowly, mesmerized.  


  
“I am … Servant Caster.”

“Tell me … Are you my Master ?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this chapter certainly *is* shorter. Thankfully, this is far from being the last time we will hear about them.
> 
> Please, don't hesitate to leave a comment (or kudo) if you enjoy the beginning of this adventure, or if you want me to clarify something !

**Author's Note:**

> The words at the beginning come from the song Tsuki to Hanataba, which is used as the ending song for Fate/EXTRA Last Encore, which was a huge source of inspiration to me. Other parts of the song will be used in the future.
> 
> Vocabulary :  
* Holy Grail War = A war between magi. Each of the seven participants becomes a Master by summoning a Servant, the spirit of a hero from the past. At the end of this battle royale, the winning Master and Servant each obtain the right to have their wish granted by the Holy Grail. The War is to remain a secret for ordinary humans.  
* Servant = Heroic Spirit. During a HGW, each of them represents a different class : Saber, Archer, Lancer, Rider, Caster, Assassin, and Berserker. As they all possess at least an E- rank of [Magic Resistance] skill, it is unlikely for a magus to be able to harm them.  
* Magus (plr. magi) = A human who possesses magic circuits.  
* Magic circuits = Similar to veins, they carry magical energy (in this story, called mana) instead of blood.  
* Skill = Servants possess various passive and active skills related to their lore and their class. They are graded from A++ to E-. The stronger a skill is, the higher the grade.  
* Command Spells = A symbol on the Master's hand. It is made of 3 parts, each representing a spell the Master can use to give any order to their Servant, or simply to unleash an important amount of mana into them.
> 
> Now seems like a good time to mention that English is not my native language.


End file.
